Systems for loading and unloading foodstuffs are known from the prior art. The foodstuffs move on a conveyor belt and a tool or robot loads them so that they can be taken to their final destination, where it unloads them.
Some of these systems comprise a conventional conveyor belt, and the tool comprises support means upon which the product is to be disposed when it is loaded, and in order to load the product the tool approaches the product from one side, making contact with the product laterally. This involves the evident risk of the product not being loaded correctly when it makes contact with it.
Other known systems in the prior art solve this problem by using a conveyor belt of the type known as Polycord, which comprises a plurality of parallel belts separate to each other. The use of this type of conveyor belt enables the product to be approached in a different manner that increases the chances of it being loaded correctly.
Document EP371687A1 discloses a system of this type, which in addition to the tool comprises a drive system disposed beneath the conveyor belt. Said drive system comprises a plurality of vertical segments that push the product, lifting it from the conveyor belt. The tool acts as a claw on the product in order to load it, once it has been lifted from the conveyor belt.
Document WO2006/061024A1 discloses a system for loading and unloading foodstuffs of this type. The tool comprises support means adapted to pass through the gaps between the belts of the transport means to collect the product and support the product when it is loaded, and performs the loading of the product, moving in a substantially vertical ascending direction, the support means moving in said direction, so that the support means lift the product from the transport means and support it. To unload the product, the tool performs a minor movement such as a pivoting movement, which causes the product disposed on the support means to slide on to them in order to be unloaded at its final destination.